Chapter 164

Eleanor had been dreading this moment all day. The thought of Merit's situation weighed heavily on her mind, and she knew she needed to talk to someone she could trust. So, that evening, back in the palace, she sought out Mrs Goldberg, her trusted advisor.

"Mrs. Goldberg," Eleanor began hesitantly, "if you found out that the only family you had did something bad and only you knew about it, would you expose them to the public to be punished?"

Mrs. Goldberg looked at her thoughtfully. "It depends," she said slowly. "If that family member was repentant and showed remorse for their actions, I would not expose them. But if they continued in their sinful ways, then I would have no choice but to bring their wrongdoing to light."

Eleanor nodded, deep in thought. Was Merit repentant? She couldn't fully tell.

They strolled through the manicured lawns in the pack, as the fresh air and the gentle breeze helped clear her head. She observed the solemn faces of everyone around her. The once lively p